April 10, 1862: “The fight of Monday was less decisive than that of Sunday.”

With great understatement, the Richmond Dispatch reported on April 10 that the battle of Shiloh might not have been such a great southern victory as first reported. The news was still over-optimistic, starting with the completely erroneous claim that the rebel army still held the battlefield.

Corinth, April 9.

–We still hold the battlefield. It is not thought the enemy will advance. The weather is bad and the roads impassable. We possess all the captured property.

Morgan’s cavalry yesterday (Tuesday) morning attacked a considerable force of the enemy in one of their camps and killed a large number of them, besides burning the tents our army were unable to bring away with them.

The wounded are pouring in. Our loss is probably three thousand. The most of the wounded were shot in the limbs.

Generals Gladden, Bushrod Johnson, and Hindman are wounded. Colonel Blythe, of Mississippi, and Capt. Hampton, of Alexandria, were killed. Lieutenant Storum, of the Washington Artillery, was shot through the body.

The fight of Monday was less decisive than that of Sunday. The firing ceased mutually about two o’clock, both armies falling back.

The enemy’s loss in prisoners is between four and six thousand.

Buell’s reinforcements on Monday are estimated at thirty thousand.

Our troops are in admirable spirits, and ready for another fight. Def.